Portable air controller



y 3, 1951 R. w.. CALKINS 2,559,495

PORTABLE AIR CONTROLLER Filed Dec. 8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I flier! 1/ [2/62 5 y 1951 R. w. CALKINS 2,559,495

PORTABLE AIR CONTROLLER Filed Dec. 8, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Z Z5 Z7 2/ l 5 30 I 34. Z Z 3/ L /7 Z5 Z3 3 6 20 a a l j 25 7 3 [Z6 ZV /d .R. W. CALKINS PORTABLE AIR CONTROLLER July 3, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 8, 1947 war/1e;

Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE AIR CONTROLLER Robert Walter Calkins, Racine, Wis.

Application December 8, 1947, Serial No. 790,373

Claims.

1 This invention relates to a portable air controller and has particular reference to an air controller unit to be disposed for operation within the frame of a window.

' air into the room.

Another object of the invention is to provide a generally light Weight portable window air controller unit at less cost.

These and other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in connection with the following description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing an air controller unit disposed within a window frame;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the unit disposed within a window frame;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe unit withthe cover removed showing air being drawn from the room and discharged to the outside;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing air being drawn from the outside and discharged into a room;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing air being recirculated within a room.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 with parts in elevation and showing the supports for the motor;

Fig. '7 is a detail view showing the latching of one of the end panels to screws in the window frame;

Fig. 8 is a detail view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5 through the discharge louvre frame; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view on line a-s of Fig. 5 through the louvre frame on the inlet side of the unit.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a portable air controller of sheet metal construction mounted within the window frame I and comprising in general a body section formed by the end housing members 2 spaced apart and joined at the front by the grille unit 3, and which is supported on the base 4 and closed at the top by the cover 5. The base and cover correspond and may be welded to end housing members 2.

Housing members 2 are curved inwardly toward frame I complementary to each other and the inner end portions of the members are flanged inwardly parallel to the front grilled portion of the unit with the extreme ends of each member flanged parallel to the sides of the end members.

The inside of the unit comprises generally the bottom panel 6 spaced from base 4 and the top panel I spaced from cover 5 together with the uprights 8 extending vertically between the four corners of the panels and secured to panels 6 and 1, respectively. Uprights 8 are flanged over the end housing members 2 at the front of the unit. Grill 3 fits over the flanges of the uprights. Grill 3, front uprights 8 and end housings 2 are secured together by suitable screws 9 extending therethrough. The uprights 8 at the rear corr ners are secured by the screws 9 to the flanged ends of end housing members 2. Screws 9 support the boxlike structure formed by panels 6 and I and corner uprights 8, within the outer housing.

The lower channeled member ID is secured to the back of each housing member 2 and the upper channeled member iii is secured to the back of each member 2 adjacent cover 5. The channeled members is extend slightly above and below the air controller. When the air controller is secured within a window as will be described, the window may be closed behind the unit without removal of the unit from the window frame. This feature of the invention is shown in Fig. 6.

Members It) each receive an extensible panel II which slide horizontally within the channels inwardly and outwardly of the unit to adapt the same to fit within window frames of different width. Panels H are slotted to receive the bolts l2 which ride in the slots of the panels to limit their movement inwardly and outwardly of the unit. The handle is is provided on each panel II in order to readily slide panels H inwardly or outwardly as required. The vertical end flange of each panel is also provided with slots I4 to fit over supporting screws 15 provided in window frame 1. Supporting the unit within a window frame in this manner makes the air controller of the invention readily portable as it is easily inserted within a window and readily removed therefrom. At the same time the window may be raised and closed behind the unit.

The fan panel I6 is secured centrally of the unit to the bottom and top panels 6 and 7, respectively, and extends across the unit to support the Venturi ring H.

The electric motor I8 is suspended centrally of the unit to the right of fan panel l6, as shown in Fig. 3. The split sleeve I9 extends around the motor housing and the arm 20 projects upwardly from one side of the sleeve and is bolted to fan panel [6 at the front of the unit while a second arm 2| extends downwardly from the opposite side of the sleeve and is secured to the fan panel at the rear of the unit. The driven shaft 22 projects into Venturi ring H from motor l8 parallel to the front and rear portions of the unit.

The fan 23 is secured to shaft 22 and is rotated within Venturi ring [1 by the shaft driven by motor H3. The motor is connected by wires to'a switch 24 secured to the top of cover and a cord, not shown, extends through the bottom of the unit from the motor to a source of current.

The channeled uprights 25 are "secured to the front and rear of fan panel It by suitable screws and have flanged end portions which are employed within the unit, as will be described. The front upright 25 is provided as a part of the grill assembly 3 and supports the grill centrally of the unitwhen the upright is secured to panel [6.

The back of the unit is open on both sides of rear upright 25 between the upright and tlieend housing members 2. The opening 26 at the right in Fig. 2 provides the discharge opening for air discharges from a room while the opening 21 at the left in Fig. 2 providesthe inlet for fresh air to be driven into theroom. In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 discharge opening 25 is at the left while the fresh air intake opening 21 at the right. The front of the unit is open on either side of central upright 25. n w 7 The discharge side of the unit has a pair of vertically extending louvres of different size curved complementary to each other and disposed so that the smaller louvre 28 is mammside the larger louvre 29 and horizontally spaced therefrom. g I V Louvres 28 and 29 extend between the bottom and top panels 6 and I and are joined'together to operate as a unit by the frame 39 which is located between the louvres and is bolted to each louvre. I I I e The pivot pin 31 extends centrally through the bottom of frame 39, bottom panel 6 and base A to anchor the frame in place. The frame is disposed to pivot about pin 3!. s V I The pin 32 extends in line with pivot pin 3! upwardly through top panel J and cover 5. The lower end of pin 32 is geared to frame 3D and the upper end of the pin projecting from cover 5 has a removable knob 33 to be grasped by the operator to rotate the frame and louvres through pin 32.

The small louvre 28 is provided to reduce turbulence in the air passing through the unit while the large louvre 29 operates to open and close off discharge opening 26. When the discharge is open louvre 29 at one end, as shown in Fig. 3, engages a flanged end f thefront channeled upright 25 and at the other end the left rear corner upright 8. e I

When the discharge is closed louvre 29 at one end engages a flanged end of the central rear upright 25 and at the other end thef'ront corner upright 3 at the left side of the unit. Fig. 4 illustrates this position of louvre 29.

The intake sideof the unit has a louvre 35 of a size and shape corresponding to that ef large louvre 29 of the discharge side. Louvre 3 43s secured to frame 35 which extends the length of the louvre between bottom panel Band top panel 'top offrame'35 in line with pivot pin and pro- 4 jects upwardly through top panel 1 and cover 5. The removable knob 38 is secured to the upper end of pin 31 for rotation of frame 35 and louvre 3 5 through pin 31.

When louvre 34 is positioned to close intake opening 2? the one end of the louvre engages a flanged end of central rear upright 25 and the other end of the louvre engages front corner upright Is at the right side ofthe unit, as shown in Fig. 3. When louvre 34 'is pivoted to open intake 2? the one end of the louvre engages a flange of front central upright 25 and the other end of the louvre engages the rear corner upright 3 at the right side of the unit, as shown inF -j Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the selective positions of the 'louvres 2'9 and 34 to illustrate the operation of e u In Fig. 3, louvre 29 has been pivoted to the position previously described wherein the discharge 260i the unit is open, and louvre 34 has been pivoted to close the fresh air inlet 2?. 'Inhthis position of the 'lo'uvr'es when fan 23 is 'in operation air is drawn from the room at "the right side of the upright 25 in the front of the unit'and flows through the unit in an angular flow as shown by the arrows to be discharged through discharge opening 26. Louvre 29 closes off the opening into the room on the left "sideof the central upright 25 in the'front of the unit.

In Fig. 4, louvre '29fh'as been pivoted to close discharge 25 and to'open theunit in "the front at the left side of up'right25, and louvre 34 has been pivoted to open fresh air inlet 21 and to close the unit in front at the right side of "upright 25. In this position of the louvres when fan 23 is in operation fresh air is drawn in through the'back of the unit and is discharged into the room at the left frontside'of the unit in an angular flow, as shown by the arrows.

In Fig. 5 louvre 29 has been pivoted toclose discharge 26 and to open the unit in the front to the left of upright 25, and louvre 3' 1 has been pivoted to close fresh air inlet 21 and to open the unit in frent to the right side of upright 25. In this position of the louvres when fan 23 is in operation the air from the room'circulates angularly through the unit, as shown by the arrows, being taken in from the room onthe rightside and discharged into the room on the left side. 7 V l e s I A The manner of assembly of the unit per'inits the parts on the inside pf the unit to be lifted out of the unit without disassembly of the' cover, base and end panels. In order to remeve the inside of the unit the four screws 9 in the front of'the unit extending through grill 9, end housing 2, and the front corner uprights 8 'areremoved. Likewise the screws 9 extending through rear corner uprights 8 and the'fl'angesof end housings 2 are removed. The bolt heads on the bottom of pins 3l and 355 to which the respective louvre frames arepivote'd are removed and pins 3| and 36 pushed upwardly. The grill "3 is'r'emoved by removing the screws securifi'g'rrbnt'upright 2 5 to fan panel 16. 'The entireinn'er portion of the unit can then be lifted out thefront of the unit. When the inside "assembly of the unit is inserted within the outer housing the flanged ends of'e'nd housing member 'Z'bnthe'inside of the housing serve as guides to locate the same within the housing.

The invention'provides'a portable air co'ntrdller or ventilator unit in which circulation 'of'"air in a room can be regulated selectively b'y'the posed to the inside of the room in which the conclaims. 1

I claim: j i

1. A portable air controller adapted to fitjwithin the frame of a window of a room whichcomprises, a housing having a base and top and an air discharge and air intake opening provided on the front side of the controller exposed to the ,outside of the room and another air intake and air discharge openin'g'on the rear side extroller is located, upright members extending vertically within the housing on each respective side of the air discharge and air intake openings, a fan secured within the controller centrally of said discharge and intake openings for circulating air through the controller and with the face of the fan perpendicularly disposed with respect to the room opening, a vertically extending curved, louvre member vertically pivoted within said housing on one side of said fan and extending between a front and rear opening, and a second vertically extending curved louvre member pivoted within said housing on the other side of said fan and extending between a front and rear opening, and means for rotating said louvre members to predetermined positions in engagement with said uprights closing off either a front or rear opening in the housing selectively to discharge air from the room, to take fresh air into the room and to circulate air within the room.

2. A portable air controller adapted to fit within the frame of a window of a room which comprises, a housing having a base and cover and separate air discharge and intake openings on one side exposed to the outside of the room and separate air intake and discharge openings on the side exposed to the inside of the room with the said intake openings directly opposite each other respectively and the discharge openings similarly directly opposite each other, a fan for circulating air through the unit secured to the housing between the discharge and intake openings with the face of the fan perpendicularly disposed with respect to said openings and located centrally of the openings exposed to the room, upright members extending vertically within the housing on each respective side of the air discharge and air intake openings, louvre members vertically, pivoted within said housing on either side of said fan and outwardly curved to a length effecting extension of one louvre between the diagonally opposite uprights bordering the intake openings and of the other louvre between the diagonally opposite uprights bordering the discharge openings and means for rotating said louvre members to predetermined positions relative to said openings to pass air by a tortuous path through the controller and selectively discharge air from the room, to take fresh air into the room and to circulate air within the room.

3. A portable air controller adapted to fit within the frame of a window of a room which comprises, a housing having an air discharge and air intake opening exposed to the outside of the 7 ,roomand an intake and discharge opening exposed-t0 the inside of the room in which the controller is located, upright members extending vertically within the housing on each respective side of the air discharge and air intake openings, a

fan secured within the controller for circulating air therethrough with the face of the fan perpendicularto the room opening of the controller, a

curved louvre member vertically pivoted within said housing on one side of said fan and extending on a curved line between said room opening and intake, a complementary curved louvre member vertically pivoted within said housing on the other side of said fan and extending on a curved line between said room opening and discharge, means on top of the housing extending. into engagement with said louvre-member on the intake side of the controller to rotate the same into and out of engagement with diagonally oppositely disposed intake upright members to open and close said intake, and similar means for rotating said louvre member on the discharge side of the controller into and out of engagement with diagonally oppositely disposed discharge upright members to open and close said discharge, the locating of the louvres relative to said openings providing a tortuous path for flow of air through the controller.

4. In a portable air controller having a housing adapted to fit within the frame of a window and a fan secured transversely of said housing generally centrally thereof and outwardly curved vertically extending louvre members pivoted on each side of said fan to selectively control the passage of air in the controller and flowing through an intake and discharge opening and room opening in said housing, upright members vertically bordering said openings on the inside of said housing and against which said louvre members abut when rotated to a selected position controlling flow of air through the controller, an inner assembly comprising top and bottom panels located above and below said louvre members and fan, corner members secured to said panels to join the same together, and removable means extending through said outer housing and corner members to secure the inner assembly of the controller in place and provide for ready removal of the assembly without disturbing the outer housing.

5. A portable air controller adapted to fit within the frame of a window of a room which comprises a housing formed of longitudinally extending front and back panels and end members enclosed by a cover and base, the front panels exposed to the room having separate openings defined by upright members bordering said openings with one of said openings being an air intake and the other for air discharge and the back panel exposed to the outside air having similar openings defined by upright members bordering said openings with one of said openings being for air intake and opposite to the intake opening Of the front panel and the other of said openings being for discharge of air and opposite the discharge of the front panel, an electric motor secured within said housing and having a fan centrally located in the housing between the front and rear intake openings and the front and rear discharge openings and perpendicular thereto, a vertically extending outwardly curved louvre member vertically pivoted between the intake openings on one side of the fan, a similarly formed louvre member pivoted between the discharge openings on the and separate means for rotating ea member 'to close on a front or rear opening to selectively discharge air from the room, to take 7 other side of the fan, and said louvres being, of a length to extend through "the housing from an upright around a front opening to a diagonally opposite upright around a rear opening to close ofi either a front opening or a rear opening depending upon the pivotal position of the I'ouvre, oh louvre fres h 'air into the room and to circulate air With- --in the room.

"RGBERT "WALTER CAL-SKINS 8 MNEITED TSTATES \PATENTS vNumber Number QName Da'te Gifiord -11 Mar. 12, 19,12 QMoMurdie Mar. 12,1912 Lambfight Nov. 29,, .1927 Pukerud .Jan. .22, 19.29 lHueglin Aug. .9, 1.9.32 .Driggs July .1 1, 1933 Messing May "15 .1934 Richter Aug. 13,1935 Payne June 16, 1936- .Hach .et .al. Dec. '21, 1943 Paiste, Jr Apr. 10,1945 vFunk Nov. 13, 19,45 Gerken n--. Apr. 27, 19148 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain r 1914 

